Police believe they have hit-run car

MIDDLEBORO — Police have seized a Jeep Grand Cherokee that they believe is the vehicle involved in a fatal hit and run accident earlier this month.

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By JANE LOPES

southcoasttoday.com

By JANE LOPES

Posted Oct. 31, 2013 at 11:15 AM

By JANE LOPES
Posted Oct. 31, 2013 at 11:15 AM

» Social News

MIDDLEBORO — Police have seized a Jeep Grand Cherokee that they believe is the vehicle involved in a fatal hit and run accident earlier this month.

Police Chief Bruce Gates said the vehicle was located "through old-fashioned police work" at a Middleboro residence as a result of executing a search warrant.

Det. Robert Lake of the Middleboro Police and State Police Det. Donald Short "have been working on this pretty much non-stop," Chief Gates said, since Michael Dutra, 58, was killed when he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle on Wood Street on the evening of Oct. 11.

At press time, the police had not identified the driver of the vehicle or announced many details in the case.

"This is a very active investigation," Chief Gates said Tuesday afternoon. "Who was driving is part of the investigation. We will explain when and if someone is charged,"

The chief said investigators discovered through forensic evidence at the scene that they were looking for a black vehicle, not the light-colored vehicle described by a witness to the accident. Chief Gates said the trauma of the experience may have affected the witness' ability to recall the vehicle accurately. Police were able to determine early on, in part from evidence at the scene, that they were looking for a 2005-2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

"The witness obviously saw an emotionally tragic incident, at night, when there were lights from the other vehicle affecting their view," the chief said. "It was one of those heat of the battle things."

The chief said that while police received and followed up many tips from the public, the seizure of the vehicle Monday night was "based on good investigative work by two detectives." He said thus far no one has come forward and acknowledged responsibility for the crash or direct knowledge of it.

"There's still a lot of work to do," the chief said. "We wanted to put the information out so people wouldn't keep looking for a light-colored Jeep."